Fantasy Football News

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (chest) was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, despite dealing with a chest issue, according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Broncos. Denver's official injury report for Wednesday confirms his status. Quarterback Bo Nix noted on Wednesday that Waddle is getting "more and more comfortable" in Denver's offense and that he is playing with "confidence." Waddle has played in all eight of Denver's games in 2026 thus far and has recorded 29 receptions for 315 yards and two touchdowns.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (elbow) logged a limited practice session on Wednesday, according to the team's official injury report. Brady Henderson of ESPN notes that the Seahawks had a walk-through practice on Wednesday following a 34-17 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football and that the players' statuses are estimated. Lock is expected to start in Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals, with Sam Darnold (quadricep/ribs) expected to miss the contest. However, Lock's status will need to be monitored leading up to Sunday. Lock has appeared in two games in 2026, including one start. He has completed 35 out of 48 passes (72.9%) for 422 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell (hip) was limited during Wednesday's practice with a hip injury, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The official injury report for the Buccaneers confirms Gainwell's status. Gainwell is coming off a breakout game in a 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8, in which he recorded career highs in rushing attempts with 25 and rushing yards with 140, while averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Earlier on Wednesday, Stroud reported that Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles noted that Gainwell is becoming the "1B" to Bucky Irving's "1A" that the Buccaneers envisioned for Gainwell when they signed him. Gainwell's status for a Week 9 matchup with the Chicago Bears will need to continue to be monitored throughout the week, but a limited session on Wednesday shouldn't be of too much concern as things currently stand.

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (thumb, toe) did not practice on Wednesday due to thumb and toe injuries, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Following a 34-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, the Bears had a walk-through practice on Wednesday, but Monangai was an estimated "DNP" on the team's official injury report. Monangai has not played since Week 4. He was off to a strong start in 2026 with 60 carries for 324 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. Monangai's status for the rest of the week needs to be watched closely. In his absence, regular starter D'Andre Swift will continue to lead Chicago's backfield, while Roschon Johnson will mix in.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (hamstring, knee) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice session. Rice made his return to the field last week after missing two straight games due to a hamstring injury. He looked good on the field, hauling in seven of his eight targets for 53 yards in the loss to the Denver Broncos. Rice is dealing with a pair of injuries right now, so his limited session could be the Chiefs being cautious with him. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but they shouldn't be too worried right now. It doesn't sound like Rice is in real jeopardy of missing the Week 9 matchup against the New York Jets. If he does miss time, Xavier Worthy would likely benefit the most out of all the wideouts.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (ankle) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice session. Kelce was limited during part of practice last week as well, but he still suited up for the Week 8 loss to the Denver Broncos. The veteran tight end being limited to begin the week could just be for rest purposes. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the week ahead of the Week 9 matchup against the New York Jets. The 37-year-old has been a consistent option lately with four receptions or more in each of his last three games. If he gets downgraded, Noah Gray would likely see an expanded role this weekend.

Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight (concussion) didn't practice on Wednesday and is still going through the league's concussion protocol. Knight is banged up right now, but he's expected to have a significant role once he's available to play. Head coach Mike LaFleur said on Wednesday that the plan was for Knight to be one of their two top backs. Sadly, both Knight and Jeremiyah Love (ankle) suffered injuries during the Week 8 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Love was placed on the Injured Reserve and will now miss the next four games. Now, Knight has a chance to be a legitimate threat in this backfield with Love out of the picture for a handful of games. Tyler Allgeier will likely be the lead back, but it sounds like the Cardinals trust Knight to handle a significant workload.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (ribs) was seen wearing a yellow non-contact jersey during Wednesday's practice session, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports. Wilson was also wearing a non-contact jersey last week and was limited during all three days of practice. Ultimately, Wilson did suit up during the Week 8 win over the Dallas Cowboys. It was revealed after that game that Wilson is dealing with two broken ribs. Despite the injury, Wilson hauled in eight of his 15 targets for 111 receiving yards and a touchdown in the win. We'll see if the rib injury plays a factor this week ahead of the Week 9 matchup versus the Seattle Seahawks.

New Orleans Saints running back Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) will not have his practice window opened yet, Jeff Nowak of WWL Louisiana reports. Head coach Kellen Moore confirmed Etienne won't have his practice window opened on Wednesday, but he's hopeful that Etienne can practice this week. The 27-year-old has missed the required four games after being placed on the Injured Reserve due to a strained left hamstring. He's not on the field to begin the week, so it seems unlikely that Etienne will be ready for the Week 9 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Fantasy managers should aim for Etienne to be ready for the Week 10 matchup versus the Carolina Panthers.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (ribs) was estimated as a limited practice participant in Wednesday's walkthrough, according to Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News. St. Brown apparently injured his ribs in Sunday's Week 8 win over the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, but he returned to the contest and finished with seven catches on eight targets for 46 yards, although the 27-year-old All-Pro wideout just missed a long touchdown that was overturned on video review. Week 8 was the first time since Sept. 27 that the Sun God did not see double-digit targets, and it was a disappointing showing for his fantasy managers after he had nine grabs on 11 targets for a season-high 153 yards in the Week 8 victory over the division-rival Green Bay Packers. St. Brown is expected to be fine to play this weekend on the road in an excellent matchup against the Miami Dolphins, but we will closely monitor his practice status for the rest of the week. If he is active on Sunday in South Beach, he should remain locked into all starting fantasy football lineups. St. Brown heads into Week 9 action as the WR5 in half-PPR scoring with 53 catches on 76 targets for 571 yards and five touchdowns in seven games played.

Los Angeles Rams veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford (elbow) was listed as a full participant in practice on Wednesday after he was seen with an ice pack on his right elbow following Sunday's Week 8 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Pro Football Talk. "I'm 38 years old, trying to keep up with these young bucks. Little bit of soreness and stuff that is not uncommon this time of year," Stafford said, via Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times. "Haven't missed a rep. Feel good. So I'm not too worried about it." It is worth noting after Stafford had surgery on the same elbow during the 2022 offseason. The reigning MVP only attempted 25 passes and threw for just 157 yards with one touchdown and an interception in the 24-9 win over the Chargers, and he has now thrown for under 200 yards in each of the last two games after throwing for 300-plus yards for a three-game stretch earlier this year. Stafford should be just fine to start this Sunday on the road in Washington against the Commanders, where he could easily bounce back for fantasy managers as a strong QB1 against a shaky secondary. He could be getting tight end Terrance Ferguson (ankle) back from Injured Reserve as well.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell has looked like what the team envisioned him to be when they added him in the offseason over the last couple of weeks as the 1B to Bucky Irving's 1A, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Through the first six games, Irving was doing his thing while Gainwell mostly watched and waited, never seeing more than five carries in a game. Gainwell had 14 carries for 88 yards in the Week 7 win over the Carolina Panthers and then saw a season-high 25 carries for 140 rushing yards in a rain-soaked 16-0 win over the division-rival Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Irving also had a career-best 170 yards on 27 carries on the ground. Tampa had a club-record 324 rushing yards in Week 8. "I think we finally got to where we're utilizing Kenny more and more, and that's kind of the 1A, 1B we were talking about when we first signed him," head coach Todd Bowles said. Irving is on pace for 312 rushing attempts, and the Bucs do not want to run him into the ground. Fantasy managers should not expect another ground domination like the Bucs had on Sunday against Atlanta, but Gainwell's stock is back up after he was dropped in a lot of fantasy leagues after his slow start. He is still rostered in under 50% of Yahoo leagues and is worth adding again with Tampa potentially riding their two RBs as much as possible going forward.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) did not practice on Wednesday but ran on the side, according to Scott Smith of the team's official website. The Buccaneers will see how Egbuka feels on Thursday after his running session on Wednesday. The 24-year-old has missed two straight games, but he cleared the concussion protocol late last week, and he appears to be making progress with his foot injury this week. Still, Egbuka will likely need to upgrade to a full practice in the next two days to avoid a questionable tag or being ruled out entirely for a third straight game. In the two games that Egbuka has missed, the Bucs have leaned heavily on their rushing attack, with quarterback Baker Mayfield going 7-for-14 passing for 64 yards with one touchdown. He went 0-for-3 passing in the Week 8 win over the division-rival Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Egbuka has been Tampa's top wideout when healthy, catching 28 of his 49 targets for 240 yards and two touchdowns, but with the team's passing game doing next to nothing of late, he will be a volatile starting fantasy WR if he returns to the field in Week 9 to take on the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football.

New Orleans Saints rookie first-round wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) had his 21-day practice window to return from Injured Reserve opened on Wednesday, and he was listed as a limited participant in practice. Ongoing hamstring issues landed the 22-year-old on IR before the start of his rookie season in the NFL, but he has a chance to be officially activated later this week and make his debut in Week 9 at home against the visiting Cleveland Browns this Sunday. When fully healthy, Tyson was drafted to serve as the team's No. 2 pass-catcher across from Chris Olave. Tyson's return will be bad news for those who have Devaughn Vele rostered, but the rookie is not guaranteed to return this weekend. The Saints will likely ease Tyson into the offense when he returns, which will make him a risky play initially, but the young pass-catcher's upside makes him worth stashing in all fantasy leagues with his return on the horizon. Tyson is currently rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues, but that number will rise drastically once he is officially activated off IR, which could come as soon as this Saturday.

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said he "absolutely" believes that running back Ashton Jeanty can still be a bell-cow RB in the NFL, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN. "Ashton's a young player and has a really bright future ahead. Glad we have him and all these young players on our roster that are continuing to grow. And it's our job as coaches to develop them," Kubiak said. Jeanty is averaging a paltry 3.1 yards per carry on 108 rushing attempts for 337 yards and one touchdown on the ground in the first eight games of his second season in the league. The former sixth overall pick from Boise State has been much more efficient as a pass-catcher, catching 37 of his 48 targets for 376 yards (10.2 yards per reception) and three touchdowns through the air. With Vegas' ground game going nowhere, they switched things up in the Week 8 win over the New York Jets. Jeanty played a season-low 40% of the offensive snaps and had only two carries for nine yards, while rookie Mike Washington Jr. had a season-high 60% snap share while handling 25 carries for 83 yards. Kubiak said the backfield touch distribution will vary from week to week, although it seems like the 22-year-old Jeanty is shifting away from early-down work for more pass-catching duties on third downs. It's a frustrating development for his fantasy managers, but at the very least, Jeanty should be in the low-end RB2 range in PPR leagues in Week 9 against the San Francisco 49ers.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant (ankle) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice after being designated to return from injured reserve. Bryant suffered the injury against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4 and has missed Denver's last four games. The second-year receiver caught nine passes for 133 yards and a touchdown before going on IR, having played 70% of the team's offensive snaps in Week 3. His full participation is encouraging ahead of Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, although Denver must activate him to the 53-man roster before he can play. Troy Franklin has taken on a larger role during Bryant's absence, playing 44 offensive snaps in Week 8. Bryant's potential return could affect Franklin's workload, but the rotation behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle remains uncertain. That competition makes Bryant a deeper-league fantasy stash rather than an immediate starting option.

Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson (ankle) will be limited in his return to practice on Wednesday, according to Nate Atkins of The Athletic. The Rams have opened Ferguson's 21-day practice window to return from Injured Reserve, but it does not necessarily mean that he will officially come off IR and be active this Sunday against the Washington Commanders in Week 9. The 23-year-old second-year tight end has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in the Week 3 loss to the Denver Broncos, but he has missed the required four games and could be an option to bolster L.A.'s passing attack this weekend. His availability on Sunday in D.C. will depend on how much he can do in practice this week. Ferguson is absolutely worth a waiver-wire pickup right now if he is available in your league, as he carries the most fantasy upside among the Rams' crowded group of tight ends, and he could very well operate as quarterback Matthew Stafford's No. 2 option behind receiver Puka Nacua, with Davante Adams (hamstring) still out for the foreseeable future. He caught seven of his 12 targets for 63 yards and a touchdown in three games before his ankle injury, and Ferguson is expected to see his role grow as the season progresses.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (ankle) was listed as a full participant on Wednesday's estimated injury report ahead of Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Carolina did not hold a practice Wednesday, although Young participated in Tuesday's session, after which head coach Dave Canales said the quarterback moved well and was ready to play. Young completed 23 of 41 passes for 209 yards, one touchdown and an interception in last Thursday's loss to the Green Bay Packers, taking six sacks. Pass protection remains a significant concern, as Young has been sacked 11 times over his past two games while facing pressure on 50% of his dropbacks. Denver has recorded 23 sacks through eight games, presenting another difficult challenge for Carolina's offensive line. Young's participation is encouraging for his availability, but the matchup makes him a risky fantasy QB2 for Week 9.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (ankle) did not practice with the rest of the team on Wednesday, according to The Athletic's Jon Machota. Instead, Ferguson worked with the training staff after he suffered an ankle injury on Sunday in the Week 8 upset loss to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime. The 27-year-old is now on the wrong side of questionable for the Week 9 contest against the hosting Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, but he will have two more opportunities to get back on the practice field on Thursday and Friday. If Ferguson is not cleared to play this weekend, Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker would both be on the field more with bigger roles in Dallas' passing game, although both of them would still be stretches as far as TE2 streaming options in fantasy football. Ferguson's volume has dried up so far in 2026, catching only 17 of his 25 targets for 115 yards, although he has found the end zone three times in eight games played. The two-time Pro Bowler has not scored since Week 3, though, and he has not surpassed 50 receiving yards in any of his eight games to drop him to TE2 territory in fantasy.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said he would be surprised if the veteran could play against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9. Samuel suffered the injury against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5 and missed the following two games before San Francisco's Week 8 bye. Shanahan said Samuel is making progress, but another absence appears likely. The 49ers are also dealing with Mike Evans' Achilles injury, which kept him out of Wednesday's practice, while Demarcus Robinson (ankle) returned on a limited basis. Samuel has recorded 16 receptions for 206 yards and three touchdowns, along with 78 rushing yards, across five games this season. San Francisco's receiving corps struggled to replace his production in Week 7, when George Kittle led the team with eight catches for 88 yards. With Samuel and Evans both uncertain for Sunday, the 49ers' remaining wide receivers carry considerable fantasy risk.